Top dressing backyard

Probably when you lawn is actively growing

Don’t do shite when it’s dormant

I top dress with compost in early March. Neighbor got me onto it and he does it a bit thicker than I have so far. Just spread with shovel and further spread with an upside down metal rake. Make sure you can still see the green of the grass tips popping up through. By the end of the month, the yard is fully green and can't even tell anything was done besides having a healthier lawn. .

Definitely do it when it’s in a growing season. Doing it now or early spring will have no growth and will damage what is underneath. Do a little at a time to promote the best growth and put fertilizer down before adding topsoil to trigger growth.